Atelier Ryza. Gust. Koei Tecmo. Alchemy! Ryza? Yes, Ryza! Three games? Three games. DX edition? Of course, DX! Fans? Happy. Wallet? Crying. And thus begins the story of the thickest, most complete, and most relaxed Atelier trilogy yet – reincarnated in the Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, a package that throws EVERYTHING that has ever been released right in your face. And a little more on top of that.
Let's be clear right away: this is not a remaster. There’s no “4K ray tracing alchemical bottle.” No “next-gen glitz.” No “AAA remake budget.” This is Konami—but-not-Konami style move: “Here’s all the DLC stuff, all the costumes, all the missions, all the characters… and don’t complain.” And honestly? There’s nothing to complain about. This is the best way to experience one of the better modern JRPG paths. And that path is called: Ryza.
Yes, Atelier Ryza is a wonder. And not because it’s “just another cute alchemist who brews potions and gathers herbs.” No. Ryza is a character who has evolved through three games. THREE! That practically doesn’t exist in Atelier. Usually, you get one protagonist, then “goodbye,” then a new generation. But Ryza? She has stayed. Grown. Matured. From a curious young girl from a boring village to a true alchemical MVP queen.
That’s an emotional connection that is rarely achieved in JRPGs. And that’s why this trilogy carries weight – not like 100 GB of textures, but like 100 GB of character.
And the combat? The combat is a specific beast. A hybrid of real-time action and turn-based tactics, something between “nightmare” and “genius.” It’s fast, frenetic, everything flies, everything explodes, and you try to stay alive by inputting commands at the right moments. DX packs don’t change that fundamentally – but they give you a bunch of new toys, which is pure joy.
But let’s go in order.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout DX
Or: “Come Agatha, it’s time to break things.”
The first DX might be the best deal. Why? New playable characters – and not just any. Agatha Harmon? Goddess. Ice queen with a purple outfit that turns heads of both Wanderers and players. Romy Vogel? Merchant goblin energy, female version of Fire Emblem Anne. Kilo? Silent, sweet, powerful. Everything you need.
Each character has their own animations, attacks, personality, quirks – all fitting together as if they were always meant to be part of the party. Bonus stories? Solid. The Kilo & Bos segment is a real “aha!” moment that nicely fills in the gaps from the main story. Epilogue? More filler anime episode than “must play,” but hey – we love Ryza.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy DX
Or: “Lila and Empel are great… but the déjà vu is real.”
The second DX adds “only” two new characters – Empel and Lila. Both were already playable in the first game, so their return isn’t a blow-your-mind moment. But the bonus story? Now that’s the real deal.
Lila leads a whole mini-campaign, exploring an Underworld theme, resolving her issues. I like that vibe: “let’s give the spotlight to a character who deserves it.”
Fi – the little floating sidekick – is the biggest QOL (quality-of-life) win in the game. It may look like a cute marshmallow with wings, but it gives you map expansion, auto-heal after battles, and reduces frustrations. It’s not OP. It’s not game-breaking. Just… useful.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key DX
Or: “Kilo’s back. Clifford’s back. Serri’s back. EVERYONE is back.”
The third DX is a chaotic mix of returning characters and new combat options. Clifford and Serri? Nice additions. Kilo? We’re here. Her evolution from the first DX to the third is a mini-masterpiece – you can really see the progress.
This time, the bonus story follows the Clifford & Serri duo. Fun? Yes. Necessary? No. But if you love those characters, you’ll get a fun spin-off vibe.
CUSTOM COMBAT MOD
Or: “Want to beat up monsters? Here’s an arena, go wild.”
Custom Combat is the biggest shared addition for all three games. Choose opponents. Choose difficulty. Choose party. Add modifiers. Do whatever you want. It’s a combat sandbox – but a sandbox without rewards. Fun? Yes. Useful for progression? Absolutely not. When there’s no loot, motivation drops. But it’s great for trying out new characters and recording silly stuff.
PACKAGE AS A WHOLE
Or: “It’s not a remaster, it’s not a remake… but it’s absolutely the best version of the trilogy.”
The Deluxe Pack is a flawless compilation, at least in its purpose. It doesn’t change the game visually, but compensates with the amount of content. All DLC stuff is here. Costumes? Yes. Map packs? Uh-huh. Stories? Yes. And on top of that, the game is also coming to Switch 2 – which means the series will live on for years.
The trilogy itself remains a wonderful cocktail of everything that makes Atelier… Atelier: humor, charm, bright colors, chill vibe, alchemy, a crafting loop that pulls you in like a black hole. Ryza has become an icon. And these DX editions are the ultimate way to experience her journey.
FINAL THOUGHT
Or: “Yes, it was worth it, Freddie would sing.”
Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack is not a revolution. But it is a complete, hefty, rich, and carefree package that gives you everything you need. For new players – a perfect starting point. For veterans – a new opportunity to return to a world that smells of herbs, magic, and adventure.
And if you love alchemy, characters that grow through three games, and JRPGs that don’t pretend to be epic, but are what they are – this is a package you will adore. Ryza deserves it. We deserve it.
There is still no option (or I completely overlooked it – I really hope I didn’t) to switch the voice acting from Japanese to English, which can be quite a blow to the ears when characters start their typical, overly high-pitched, exaggerated outbursts. It’s not that Japanese is bad — far from it — but after several dozen hours of constant chirping, squeaking, and melodramatic whining, you wish you had at least an option to tone down that chaos.
This DX re-release is the purest proof that sometimes you don’t need a $200 million remake – sometimes love, content, and a good protagonist who follows you through three games is enough.
A copy of the game for review purposes was provided by the publisher Koei Tecmo
